Dr Brigid Lee from the Skin Rejuvenation Clinic at 80 Wairakei Road has just returned from Australia – where a two-day meeting was held for Australasia’s top aesthetic practitioners, and Brigid was the only South Island doctor in attendance. Speakers from Italy, Belgium, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand discussed the latest techniques to provide the most natural and beautiful results…
Sometimes it is the quality of the skin and the amount of sun damage that needs to be addressed. Other times it is the appearance of wrinkles making someone seem older, or the loss of volume in certain areas of the face that makes one appear tired and rundown.
The meeting was focused on the combination of medicine and art. Appearance medicine is an interesting area of medicine that assesses how someone is aging, and addresses those issues to make patients look like they did 5-10 years earlier.
Sometimes it is the quality of the skin and the amount of sun damage that needs to be addressed. Other times it is the appearance of wrinkles making someone seem older, or the loss of volume in certain areas of the face that makes one appear tired and rundown. Dr Lee notes we all age differently, and thus it is important to correctly assess and recommend treatments that will have the most benefit to each client.
Aesthetic balance is very important in obtaining a natural and refreshed look. Hence, lips and cheeks were given special attention during the meeting, as they are the features that one’s eye is most drawn to – and you only need to watch five minutes of “The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills” to see excellent examples of over-inflated lips and cheeks!
In New Zealand, and even more so in Christchurch, clients want their results to be very natural so that even a best friend or sister can’t quite pick what has been done, only that you look positively well and far less tired and stressed.
There is a mathematical balance to what we all see as beautiful. As an aesthetic doctor who does a lot of lip treatments, Dr Lee said getting the balance of perfect lips is the key to a natural result, and as everyone’s lips are different it is imperative to tailor each client’s treatment. This is where the amalgamation of art and science comes together.
Finally, we asked Dr Lee any advice she could give to those looking for an Appearance Medicine doctor. She notes to ask your friends (especially the ones who are looking good lately!) to recommend a clinic, and if they won’t tell, then visit some clinics yourself and look at each practitioner, do they look natural? If their lips and cheeks look unnatural why would you let them treat you? Also, if you are unhappy with your final result let the practitioner know as filler can be dissolved. Most importantly this is not an essential medical service but it definitely should make you feel happy and confident about how you look.
